Bury FC

On 7th September in our yesteryear...

The first recorded game on the 7th of September took place in 1889 and a friendly game with a local side that would be wound-up just a few years later, but re-emerge the following season under a new name, new ownership and a bigger future. Newton Heath came to Gigg Lane for this friendly encounter. Newton Heath are obviously known today as – Manchester United. The game finished 2-2 with 2,000 supporters in attendance, with Holden scoring both Bury goals.

The same club provided the opposition again in 1897 for a testimonial game for Billy Barbour. The result was the same as eight years previously – 2-2 - with J Cust and Harry Millar on the scoresheet. Sadly, only 653 supporters were in attendance for this benefit game.

1907 saw the Shakers heading off to Burnden Park for a Division One game with the club's biggest rivals of the time – Bolton Wanderers. What a day it turned into for bragging rights, with a 6-3 victory in front of 26,000 supporters. Goals from Harry Tufnell, a Billy Hibbert hat-trick and Frank Booth.

1912 brought Grimsby Town to Gigg Lane and a crowd of 7,000. A Wally Smith hat-trick (one from the penalty spot) and a Chris Duffy goal brought home the points with a 4-2 win.

Step forward 45 years to 1957 and Southport were the visitors to Gigg Lane for a Division Three North game. A crowd of 13,461 watched as Bury ran out 4-1 winners with goals from Lockhart (2), Robertson (pen) and Lawson claimed the two points.

The Bury side for this game was as follows: -

Roy McLaren, Eddie Robertson, Norman Lawson, Don May, John McGrath, Gordon Atherton, Johnny Robinson, Tommy Neill, Harry Derbyshire, Stan Pearson and Norman Lockhart.

The photo above shows Stan Pearson leading out the Shakers for this game, closely followed by 'keeper Roy McLaren.

In 1991, the Shakers visited Hull City's Boothferry Park for a Division Three game. With just 3,679 supporters on the gate, Bury won the game 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ian Stevens.

The last recorded game on this day was in 2013 when Bury played Rochdale in a League Two clash at Spotland, though they returned empty-handed following a 1-0 defeat.

The full record for 7th September is: -